Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18. Almost 10% of teenagers involved in a fatal crash were distracted at the time of the accident.
If your teenager has recently gotten their driver’s license, then now is the time to teach them about the perils of distracted driving. Doing so won’t just give them the knowledge they need to save their own life. It can also prevent them from ruining their life by taking someone else’s. Approximately two in three fatal accidents involving a teen driver result in the death of a passenger or other motorist!
What Is Distracted Driving?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving. It’s an admittedly obvious definition, but it is also a mistake that claimed the lives of over 3,300 people in the U.S. in 2022 alone.
In essence, doing anything other than driving while you’re behind the wheel qualifies as distracted driving. Teens aren’t just at risk of distracted driving because they are inexperienced. They are also characteristically disposed toward becoming distracted thanks to their underdeveloped prefrontal cortexes – i.e. the part of the brain dedicated to attention regulation.
Telling your teen that their brain isn’t done growing isn’t likely to change their behavior. Instead, simply explain that the following behaviors aren’t acceptable while they’re controlling a large metal object that can easily kill someone at speeds slower than 5 mph.
- Cell phone use. This is the big one. The National Safety Council estimates at least 1.6 million car crashes are caused by cell phone use each year. Unfortunately, cell phone use has become so habitual among teens that many don’t even realize when they’re doing it. If you would like added assurance that your teen is making responsible decisions on the road, consider installing an app which deactivates their phone while they’re driving (such as LifeSaver Mobile).
- Applying makeup. Parents of teen girls must take special care to warn of the dangers of applying makeup behind the wheel. If your daughter normally wears makeup – and leaves home without any on – then you have enough reason to suspect she is putting others in harm’s way for the sake of her own convenience and beauty. Nip that behavior in the bud!
- Eating or drinking. It is not illegal to eat or drink (nonalcoholic beverages) while driving in Iowa. But according to the NHTSA, these behaviors may increase the driver’s risk of getting into a car accident by as much as 80%. The lesson is simple: You either eat or drink while you’re parked, or you don’t eat or drink at all.
- Interacting with passengers. Your teen is no doubt excited to start going on adventures with their friends. Tell them to avoid interacting with those passengers while they’re behind the wheel, as that kind of behavior leads to 15% of crashes by distracted teen drivers.
- Adjusting the radio. The concept of a “radio” is admittedly archaic to the majority of zoomers. Just make sure your teen understands that it’s dangerous to make any adjustments to their music unless their car is parked.
However responsible your teen might be, you have every right to worry about them while they’re still learning how to safely navigate roadways. Auto insurance can’t give you total peace of mind, but it does provide some assurance that you’ll be covered in the event your teen slips up.
If you would like a free auto insurance quote, then we welcome you to contact The Hoffman Agency today. Our team has helped Iowans protect what they value most since 1964, and we fully understand that our clients cherish nothing more than their own children.